Egypt Loved Moses
Read Exodus 11
Exodus 11:3 The LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.
AS MANY times as I’ve read the story of the Exodus, I had not caught this parenthetical phrase regarding Moses’ reputation in Egypt. I assumed every Egyptian hated him and many Hebrews were suspicious of him. After all, didn’t all the trouble start when Moses came to town?
But it is God who stirs hearts toward one or away from one, and God created a favorable impression of his servant. This gave Moses authority. It gave him leverage against Pharaoh. His reputation gave him the ability to lead.
The Hebrews needed a man they could follow. The Hebrews also needed the people of Egypt to think well of them, and God saw to it. He prepared the way of the Exodus by preparing hearts and minds.
He does the same for you. He prepares your heart and mind through the Holy Spirit, to think favorably of himself.
As did the Hebrews, we need someone to follow—and God personally disposes himself to you. Through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and now through the Holy Spirit, God shows the way and leads us from bondage to freedom. He leads us to eternal life with him.
There is no greater path in all eternity. Pray that your heart is disposed to him.
Pause and Consider: people enjoy being with someone whose heart focuses on God.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
January 30 God's Got the Power
January 30
God’s Got the Power
Read Exodus 9-10
Ex 9:4, 16 But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die… 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
GOD sent Moses to Pharaoh with a severe message of an impending hail storm of massive destruction. Why would God use a storm?
One of the most difficult things for all of us to understand is that God does as he pleases for the purpose of glorifying his name in all the earth. When the forces of nature storm through an area, it is impossible for some to feel it could be God at work. But it is. He controls every element through the heavens and earth. He is sovereign.
Thus, the storm could be a demonstration of his power. Or possibly it could be a forewarning to events at the end of time. In this case he raises the storm to judge Egypt and to show his power to his people.
In his sovereign authority, God uses the nature he created for his own purposes. When we know in our hearts that God has that kind of power, we will have an appropriate fear of him. When we have that fear, we will come to know him. For “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his teachings have good understanding.” (Psalm 111:10)
When you fear God’s power, you will understand and rejoice in his power over your life. He truly does have the power to change your life from the deepest darkness to the brightest light.
Pause and Consider: when you see God’s power in a storm, the same power is available to you.
God’s Got the Power
Read Exodus 9-10
Ex 9:4, 16 But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die… 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
GOD sent Moses to Pharaoh with a severe message of an impending hail storm of massive destruction. Why would God use a storm?
One of the most difficult things for all of us to understand is that God does as he pleases for the purpose of glorifying his name in all the earth. When the forces of nature storm through an area, it is impossible for some to feel it could be God at work. But it is. He controls every element through the heavens and earth. He is sovereign.
Thus, the storm could be a demonstration of his power. Or possibly it could be a forewarning to events at the end of time. In this case he raises the storm to judge Egypt and to show his power to his people.
In his sovereign authority, God uses the nature he created for his own purposes. When we know in our hearts that God has that kind of power, we will have an appropriate fear of him. When we have that fear, we will come to know him. For “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his teachings have good understanding.” (Psalm 111:10)
When you fear God’s power, you will understand and rejoice in his power over your life. He truly does have the power to change your life from the deepest darkness to the brightest light.
Pause and Consider: when you see God’s power in a storm, the same power is available to you.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
January 28 God Will Redeem
God Will Redeem
Read Exodus 5-6
Ex 6:6-7 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.’”
GOD IS getting very personal. He tells the enslaved Hebrews that he will free them with his power. He will redeem them, bring them into a new life away from their bondage. And when they are redeemed, he will welcome them as his own. He will be their God forever!
Wow—that is so incredibly amazing. Think of God’s amazing offer.
Yes, God gave this message to his people then, and he has given the same message to us repeatedly through the ages.
Then he underscored, highlighted, made it bold, italicized and made it extra, extra large font with his Son. Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection is the power of God’s right arm outstretched through the centuries for you. This is the reality of your freedom from the Slave Master Sin. Through faith in Jesus, you are redeemed.
God has always been about freedom from bondage. His purpose is constant to be your God. You can trust a constant God of such power, grace and love.
Pause and Consider: How do you enjoy freedom in Jesus?
Read Exodus 5-6
Ex 6:6-7 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.’”
GOD IS getting very personal. He tells the enslaved Hebrews that he will free them with his power. He will redeem them, bring them into a new life away from their bondage. And when they are redeemed, he will welcome them as his own. He will be their God forever!
Wow—that is so incredibly amazing. Think of God’s amazing offer.
Yes, God gave this message to his people then, and he has given the same message to us repeatedly through the ages.
Then he underscored, highlighted, made it bold, italicized and made it extra, extra large font with his Son. Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection is the power of God’s right arm outstretched through the centuries for you. This is the reality of your freedom from the Slave Master Sin. Through faith in Jesus, you are redeemed.
God has always been about freedom from bondage. His purpose is constant to be your God. You can trust a constant God of such power, grace and love.
Pause and Consider: How do you enjoy freedom in Jesus?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
January 36 Ready to Hear?
Ready to Hear?
Read Exodus 1-2
Exodus 1:14 They (Egyptians) made their (the Hebrews) lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.
400 YEARS have passed since Genesis. God has expanded his nation to nearly 2 million people in Egypt. Was that a mistake? Now they are slaves. Should he have put them in a place where they would have been treated more favorably, even in abundance and luxury? After all, they are the LORD’s people!
Jacob and his family were in Canaan, the place where the Hebrews would eventually settle. Why “waste” 400 years of hardship in Egypt?
It’s always good to walk carefully when we ask God, “Why?” We must not pretend or assume our ways are better than his. But, in the attitude of humility, asking God, “Why?” can lead us to understanding him more clearly.
So, we humbly ask God, “Why Egypt?” “Why slavery?” When we look throughout the bible, we can discover that one answer, to our dislike, is that God often puts people in a position where they desperately need him before they pay attention to him. One place to discover God is in our brokenness. I suspect that if the Hebrews were prosperous, they would ignore God. But they were in need, and they were ready to listen. He had a BIG change planned for their lives.
If you are in despair, and life is tough, God wants to free you. He may have allowed your situation because he needs your attention. When you seek him, and when you are prepared to trust his response, he will speak to you to bring great change to your life. Are you ready to hear him?
Pause and Consider: Be still and listen for His voice.
Read Exodus 1-2
Exodus 1:14 They (Egyptians) made their (the Hebrews) lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.
400 YEARS have passed since Genesis. God has expanded his nation to nearly 2 million people in Egypt. Was that a mistake? Now they are slaves. Should he have put them in a place where they would have been treated more favorably, even in abundance and luxury? After all, they are the LORD’s people!
Jacob and his family were in Canaan, the place where the Hebrews would eventually settle. Why “waste” 400 years of hardship in Egypt?
It’s always good to walk carefully when we ask God, “Why?” We must not pretend or assume our ways are better than his. But, in the attitude of humility, asking God, “Why?” can lead us to understanding him more clearly.
So, we humbly ask God, “Why Egypt?” “Why slavery?” When we look throughout the bible, we can discover that one answer, to our dislike, is that God often puts people in a position where they desperately need him before they pay attention to him. One place to discover God is in our brokenness. I suspect that if the Hebrews were prosperous, they would ignore God. But they were in need, and they were ready to listen. He had a BIG change planned for their lives.
If you are in despair, and life is tough, God wants to free you. He may have allowed your situation because he needs your attention. When you seek him, and when you are prepared to trust his response, he will speak to you to bring great change to your life. Are you ready to hear him?
Pause and Consider: Be still and listen for His voice.
Monday, January 24, 2011
January 25 Forgiveness is Real
January 25
Forgiveness is Real
Read Genesis 49-50
Gen 50:15-17 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brother’s the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
JOSEPH’S brothers still feel guilty. About 17 years have passed since Jacob and his family came to live in Egypt, and Joseph has demonstrated his forgiveness to them. Still the brothers wonder if Joseph will turn on them for the wrongs they did to him many years before this.
That’s the thing about sin. Even when someone says, “I forgive you.” we still want to keep condemning ourselves. The guilt inside lingers and eats away at us. And we are never sure of what the “forgiver” thinks about us.
Joseph weeps in his frustration. His brothers did not truly understand his grace. Joseph had forgiven those transgressions, and he wanted to move forward.
In a like manner, God must feel a great sadness when we continually deny his love and forgiveness. He says when we repent, when we say, “I’m wrong. I want to be with you, LORD.” he will forgive and forget our sins. He wants to point us to the future, to a new and restored relationship with him.
Will you trust God’s forgiveness? The Son, Jesus Christ, bled on a cross to remove your sin. Trust the blood. Trust the cross. Trust the great grace.
Pause and Consider: God forgives and forgets your sin. Will you?
Forgiveness is Real
Read Genesis 49-50
Gen 50:15-17 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brother’s the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
JOSEPH’S brothers still feel guilty. About 17 years have passed since Jacob and his family came to live in Egypt, and Joseph has demonstrated his forgiveness to them. Still the brothers wonder if Joseph will turn on them for the wrongs they did to him many years before this.
That’s the thing about sin. Even when someone says, “I forgive you.” we still want to keep condemning ourselves. The guilt inside lingers and eats away at us. And we are never sure of what the “forgiver” thinks about us.
Joseph weeps in his frustration. His brothers did not truly understand his grace. Joseph had forgiven those transgressions, and he wanted to move forward.
In a like manner, God must feel a great sadness when we continually deny his love and forgiveness. He says when we repent, when we say, “I’m wrong. I want to be with you, LORD.” he will forgive and forget our sins. He wants to point us to the future, to a new and restored relationship with him.
Will you trust God’s forgiveness? The Son, Jesus Christ, bled on a cross to remove your sin. Trust the blood. Trust the cross. Trust the great grace.
Pause and Consider: God forgives and forgets your sin. Will you?
Friday, January 21, 2011
January 22, 2011 Let Go of the Guilt
January 22
Let Go of the Guilt
Read Genesis 41-42
Genesis 42:21 They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come upon us.”
MANY years had passed since Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. Time had passed, but their guilt had not. What they had done in a moment of passion had stayed in each brother’s heart and mind to slowly and persistently increase their guilt and increase their grief.
How many times had they awakened in the night distressed over their evil deed? How many times had they grieved for their father who had lost his favorite son? How many times did they say to themselves, “Should I confess?”
But they never did. And the sin carved at their hearts. It never let them go. Sin imprisoned their actions and imprisoned their minds. They knew they deserved punishment, but they kept it to themselves.
Are you holding something in your heart that calls you to repentance? Go to God and trust he will free you from your burden. Go to the one you’ve hurt. Cleanse your heart today. You will find a release from a heavy burden. You will experience relief and joy in your heart. You will experience God’s love for you.
Pause and Consider: Are my words and actions good in God’s eyes?
Let Go of the Guilt
Read Genesis 41-42
Genesis 42:21 They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come upon us.”
MANY years had passed since Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. Time had passed, but their guilt had not. What they had done in a moment of passion had stayed in each brother’s heart and mind to slowly and persistently increase their guilt and increase their grief.
How many times had they awakened in the night distressed over their evil deed? How many times had they grieved for their father who had lost his favorite son? How many times did they say to themselves, “Should I confess?”
But they never did. And the sin carved at their hearts. It never let them go. Sin imprisoned their actions and imprisoned their minds. They knew they deserved punishment, but they kept it to themselves.
Are you holding something in your heart that calls you to repentance? Go to God and trust he will free you from your burden. Go to the one you’ve hurt. Cleanse your heart today. You will find a release from a heavy burden. You will experience relief and joy in your heart. You will experience God’s love for you.
Pause and Consider: Are my words and actions good in God’s eyes?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
January 19, 2011 A New I.D.
A New I.D.
Read Genesis 34-35
Genesis 35:10 God said to him: “Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be named Jacob, but Israel will be your name.”
WHAT’S in a name? To God, a name is the essence of who you are. Genesis is loaded with names given to places and people because they are reminders of activities the LORD did, the act of faith or disobedience a person did, or the events that occurred in a particular place
Here, God takes another step toward establishing his nation. He had changed Abram’s name to Abraham. Now he changes Jacob’s name to Israel. “Israel” means he has struggled with God, and God has strengthened him.
God separates this man from his neighbors, his family, his brother and his past to move him forward into a new life. The Apostle Paul says in 2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.”
Are you feeling that you are without purpose? Do you feel you’re too young, too old, worn out, or that you have no value? God wants to make you new and alive in him. He wants to be your friend and confidant, your encourager and your strength. He wants to be your Grace Giver. He wants to be your eternal Father. He wants to be your God.
When you open yourself to God, he happily gives you a new identity for tomorrow. When you accept God’s love for, you, too, will be a new creation.
Pause and Consider: What do you like to do? How can you use that for God?
Read Genesis 34-35
Genesis 35:10 God said to him: “Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be named Jacob, but Israel will be your name.”
WHAT’S in a name? To God, a name is the essence of who you are. Genesis is loaded with names given to places and people because they are reminders of activities the LORD did, the act of faith or disobedience a person did, or the events that occurred in a particular place
Here, God takes another step toward establishing his nation. He had changed Abram’s name to Abraham. Now he changes Jacob’s name to Israel. “Israel” means he has struggled with God, and God has strengthened him.
God separates this man from his neighbors, his family, his brother and his past to move him forward into a new life. The Apostle Paul says in 2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.”
Are you feeling that you are without purpose? Do you feel you’re too young, too old, worn out, or that you have no value? God wants to make you new and alive in him. He wants to be your friend and confidant, your encourager and your strength. He wants to be your Grace Giver. He wants to be your eternal Father. He wants to be your God.
When you open yourself to God, he happily gives you a new identity for tomorrow. When you accept God’s love for, you, too, will be a new creation.
Pause and Consider: What do you like to do? How can you use that for God?
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